Sharp County record., 1887-07-28
TALMAGES SERMON.
The Shepherds with Their FlocNS
at the Earthly Well
, World Athirst at the Well OF the
Gospel-Christ the Shepherd VINO
VIII Tenderly Minister to rho"
Who Ask the Water of Life'

nt WThe HamptOnS," JahluS Aol ~
nChrist. the Shepherd" HIS teHI was
wo can mot, until all the focks be gathered
,.-otbor and till they roll the stone from tne
| weII,s mouth; then we water the sneep'-
/ Genesis, xxx, 5. ,...t,,1,.,
| scene in Mesopotamia, beauu1ully
,ostoral we'll of water of great value
IN that region. The fields around ABOUT IL
rrbita with three iocks Of sheep wing
5ovn waiting for the watering. near
tboir hleating coming on the bright ar
and the laughter of young men anu
maideus indulging in rustic reparVee'
look of and l see other tiocks OF SneeP
coming. Meanwhile, Jacob, stranger,
or the interesting errand looking Tor
wife comes to the well. A 0eautlIul
sbanberdess comes to the same well. l
ace her approaching followed oy her
Sather,s flock of sheep. 1t was memoir
able meeting. Jacob married that snep-
{. erdess. The Bible account OF 1t IS:
1acob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice
ana wept.
I II has always been mystery 10 me
what he found to cry about! But oeIore
that scene occurred, Jacob accosts tne
shenherds and asks them why they post
nome the shaking of the thirst OF these
sheep, and why they did not Immediately
d, ,roceed IN wafer them. The shepherds
reply to the effect:
1--WE are all good neighbors, ana as
matter of courtesy we wait until all the
sheep of the neighborhood come up BE-
sides that, this stone on the wells NOUN
is somewhat heavy, and several Oh Us
take hold of it and push it aside, ana men
the buckets and the troughs are filed
and the sheep are satisfied. We can not,
until all the frocks are gathered together,
and till we roll the stone from the Wells
mouth; then we water the sheep"
Oh, this is a thirsty worldl Hot for the
head, and blistering for the feet and
parching for the tongue. The Worla's
great want is cool, refreshing, satisfy
Ingdraught. We wander around and we
find the cistern empty. Long and
tedious drought has dried up the worlds
fountains, but nearly nineteen GEN.
turies ago, Shepherd, with a crook IN
the shape of cross, and feet cut TO inc
bleeding, explored the desert passages OF
this world. and one day came across
we'll a thousand feet deep, bubbling and
bright, and opales cent, and looked to the
north. and the south, and the east, and the
west. and cried out with a voice strong
and musical that rang through the ages
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
water
Now a great flock of sheep to-day gather
around this gospel well. There are a
great many thirsty souls. wonder why
the focks of all nations do not gather
why so many stay thirsty, and while
am wondering about it, my text breaks
forth in the expanatio saying:
We can not, until all the focks be gathered
together, and till they roll the stone from the
wells mouth; then we water the sheep.
If herd of swine come to well they
angrlly jOstle each other for the prece-
dence: if drove of cattle come to a
|. well, they hook each other back from the
\ water, but when flock of sheep come,
though hundred of them shall be disap-
pointed, they only express it by sad
bleatiugs; they come together peace
fully We want a great multitude to
come around the gospel well.
know there are those who do not like a
a crowd-they think a crowd is vulgar.
If they are oppressed for room in church
it makes them positively impatient and
belligerent We have had people perma-
neutly leave our church because so many
other people come to it. Not 30 did these
oriental shepherds. They waited until
all the focks were gathered, and the more
focks that came the better they liked it.
And 30 we ought to be anxious that all
the people should come. GO out into the
highways and hedges and compel them to
come in. Go to the rich and tell them that
they are INDECENT without the Gospel OF
Jesus. 20 to the poor and tell them the
af1uence there is in Christ. Go to the
blind and tell them of the touch that gives
eternal illumination. Go to the lame and
tell them of the Joy that will make the
lame man leap like hart Gather all the
sheep off Of all the mountains None so
so torn of the dogs, none so sick, none so
worried, none so dying as to be omitted.
Why not gather great fiockl All Brook
lyn in flock; all New York in a flock; all
the world in flock.
This well Of the Gospel is deep enough
to put out the burning thirst of the 1,20O,
| GOOOOO of the race. Do not let the church,
| by a spirit of exclusiveness, keep the
world out. Let down all the bars, swing
open all the gates, scatter all the invita-
tions:
Whosoever will, let him come.
Come, white and black. Come, red man
| of the forest. Come, Laplander, out Of
the snow Come, Patagonian, out Of the
heat. Come in furs. Come painting un-
| der palm leaves Come one. Come all
/ Come now As at this we'll Of Mesopo-
| tamia, Jacob and Rachel were betrothed,
30 this morning, at this we'll of salvation,
/ Christ our Shepherd will meet you COM
| ing up with your long focks of cares and
/ an1ietes, and he will stretch out his hand
in pledge of his affection, while all
Heaven will cry out:
Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to
meet him.
You notice that this we'll Of Mes opo-
tamia had a stone on it, which
must be removed before the sheep
could be watered; and find on the we'll
of salvation to-day impediments and OBJ
stacles which must be removed in Or
der that you may obtain the refres hment
and life of this gospel. In your case the
impediment is pride Of heart. You can
not bear to come to such democratic
fountain; you do not want to come
with so many others. 1t is to you like
when you are dry coming to town pump,
as compared to sitting in parlor slipping
out of a chased chalice which has Just
been lifted from silver salver. Not so